The Curse of #TheExorcist ~ #Paranormal Postings #Halloween #horror

I often blog about haunted places and spooky themes, since I write a lot of ghost mysteries into my novels.  Not surprisingly, I love October, because I’m a big fan of everything paranormal—books and movies especially. While I do read horror, the paranormal novels I write aren’t designed to fit into that genre. I aim to create mysterious, spooky, and suspenseful (but not gory) ghost stories. Thankfully, many readers have claimed certain scenes sent chills down their spine, which is exactly the kind of reaction I intend (and I include romance as well to heat things back up). Many have also said they stayed up all night reading one of my books--hopefully that was because they couldn’t put it down, and not because they were afraid to turn off the lights!

The scariest book I ever read was The Exorcist, by William Peter Blatty, in part because it’s based on a true incident that happened in the DC area, not far from where I grew up (the actual exorcism was performed on a young boy from Cottage City, MD). Part of the movie was filmed in Georgetown (I’ve visited the so-called “Exorcist steps” many times...it’s definitely creepy), and I think the film is even scarier than the book. The terrifying visuals were heightened by the unconventional methods director William Friedkin used to get real reactions from the actors—slapping one actor in the face and firing a gun behind another are just two examples.

The steps from the film...located in Georgetown, DC

Then of course there is the so-called curse surrounding the film. In the early 1970s, not everything was documented for reality TV, so there are conflicting accounts of the strange occurrences. It’s said that between 4 and 9 people associated with the film died during filming or shortly after the release. An unexplained fire destroyed the MacNeil residence movie set—with the odd exception of the character Regan’s bedroom—causing a six-week delay in production. At the Italian premier of the film, a 400-year-old cross near the theater was destroyed by a bolt of lightning.

My sister loves this movie too...check out
her Halloween costume from last year!
Can't wait to see what she comes up with
this year  :0

Re-watching The Exorcist is one of my favorite Halloween traditions, and the movie is on my list of five books and films that scared me...and I don't scare easily when it comes to this stuff usually!  If you're looking for an adrenaline fix, check out my list here.  I also have posts of my favorite ghost movies and ghost novels.  And if you enjoy steamy romance mixed with spooky suspense and mysterious hauntings, I hope you'll check out some of my books!  Happy Haunted Reading.

New #Poltergeist! Who Remembers the Old Curse? #Paranormal #Ghosts

I LOVE ghost stories...I write them, I read them, I watch them--see: Favorite Ghost Stories and Favorite Ghost Movies for the corresponding blog post lists--so when I heard Poltergeist was being remade, my first reaction was "Yes!"  But then my second thought was "Are the actors involved in this crazy?  Have they not heard of the Poltergeist curse?"

A few years back, I researched the so-called Curse of the movie The Exorcist, and what I found was fairly creepy.  So I decided to revisit the Poltergeist curse, to see what was truth and what was rumor.  While a number of people associated with the original three Poltergeist movies have passed away, only two deaths stand out as sudden and unexpected, and both involved actresses in the first movie, which came out in 1982.  The 22-year-old actress who portrayed the older sister Dana Freeling, Dominique Dunne, was murdered by her ex-boyfriend five months after the movie's release.

The little blond girl who most people picture when they think of the movies--the child who announces "They're here" in a spooky singsong voice as static drones from the television set--died suddenly at age 12.  Heather O'Rourke began playing the character Carol Anne Freeling at the age of six.  A seemingly ordinary illness from the flu advanced into septic shock, and she passed away on the operating table in February 1988, before the third movie was released.

A dangerous ghost and an ex-boyfriend await
psychic medium Claire Linden in
Cape Cod's GULL HARBOR
A #1 Kindle Bestseller

These tragedies probably have nothing to do with subject of the movie--restless and destructive ghosts under the control of a demon known as the "Beast" who abduct a young girl via her closet. But I can see how the rumors of a curse might start, based on the deaths of young actors starring in a film about ancient spirits and desecrated cemeteries!  Will I go see it?  Oh, yeah, I wouldn't miss it.  I love the adrenaline rush produced by scary films, although I also enjoy the emotional swings and romantic tension generated by movies about star-crossed lovers.  If the combination of both appeals to you like it does to me, try one of my ghost story/romances, GULL HARBOR or SILVER LAKE.  And coming soon, HAUNTED SOULS!  All's fair in love and hauntings--just remember it's okay to sleep with the light on every once and a while.

The curse of THE EXORCIST - #paranormal postings

The theme of my blog this month is Paranormal/Halloween (surprising, I know). But I love October, because I’m a big fan of anything paranormal—books and movies especially. While I do read horror, the paranormal novels I write aren’t designed to fit into that genre. I aim to create mysterious, spooky, and suspenseful (but not gory) ghost stories. Thankfully, many readers have claimed certain scenes sent shivers up their spine, which is exactly the kind of reaction I intended. Many have also said they stayed up all night reading one of my books--hopefully that was because they couldn’t put it down, and not because they were afraid to turn off the lights!

The scariest book I ever read was THE EXORCIST, by William Peter Blatty, in part because it’s based on a true incident that happened in the DC area, not far from where I grew up (the actual exorcism was performed on a young boy from Cottage City, MD). Part of the movie was filmed in Georgetown (I’ve visited the so-called “Exorcist steps” many times...it’s definitely creepy), and I think the film is even scarier than the book. The terrifying visuals were heightened by the unconventional methods director William Friedkin used to get real reactions from the actors—slapping one actor in the face and firing a gun behind another are just two examples.

Then of course there is the so-called curse surrounding the film. In the early 1970s, not everything was documented for reality TV, so there are conflicting accounts of the strange occurrences. It’s said that between 4 and 9 people associated with the film died during filming or shortly after the release. An unexplained fire destroyed the MacNeil residence movie set—with the odd exception of the character Regan’s bedroom—causing a 6 week delay in production. At the Italian premier of the film, a 400-year-old cross near the theater was destroyed by a bolt of lightning.

The paranormal element in my first novel, SILVER LAKE, is of a less terrifying variety: the ghost, Brandy, is desperate to communicate with her living friends. She has a message to share, and she won’t rest until the secret is exposed. In order to help, Rain and Jason must reunite, and together they’ll face not only a haunted lake house, but their own painful past.

The ghost in GULL HARBOR is much more menacing…this angry poltergeist has driven the owners of the house away with its malicious behavior. Psychic medium Claire arrives in Cape Cod determined to connect with the dangerous spirit, but finding her ex-boyfriend Max in the same seaside town complicates matters. Soon they’ll both discover the danger to Claire extends even beyond the paranormal.

The wonderful thing about the romance genre is that readers can lose themselves in the tension of the book, knowing that eventually a happy ending is in store. If a couple seems cursed, we romance readers know they will find a way around it somehow and end up together. So while I enjoy being temporarily scared by stories of the supernatural, I prefer my “paranormal” to be followed by “romance”, so I can connect emotionally with the characters and rest assured that I will be rewarded with a Happily Ever After.

I hope you’ll check back at the end of October to participate in the Snarkology Halloween Blog Hop! Dozens of paranormal authors are participating, with tons of prizes along the way. In the meantime, what are some of your favorite paranormal books and movies?